Mumbai: The crime detection unit attached to the Pelhar police arrested two people from Nallasopara (east) who were found to be in possession of sambar deer antlers (horns) worth Rs 60 lakh.
Acting on a tip-off about the presence of poachers who would be arriving near the Apple Industries to sell the horns, a team under the guidance of senior police inspector- Jitendra Vankoti laid a trap and rounded up the suspects identified as- Mohammed Imran Faryad Ali Shah (42) and Ashok Virjibhai Patel (58)-both residents of Vasai who arrived at the spot in an auto-rickshaw on Tuesday evening. Upon searching the vehicle, the police found the horn of a sambar deer worth Rs 50 lakh stuffed in a bag.
Further investigations led to the recovery of another horn valued at Rs.10 lakh from the possession of Shah. Following an official confirmation from forest department officials, that the horns were indeed of the sambar deer, the duo was arrested and booked under the various provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act-1972 and the Indian Forest Act-1927.
The investigating team is trying to ascertain the identity of the person who intended to buy the horns and whether the accused procured the horns by killing the sambar deer which is listed as a vulnerable species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list since 2008.
The police also seized the auto-rickshaw and two mobile phones from the possession of the accused duo who have been remanded to custody after they were produced before the court on Wednesday. Further investigations to ascertain their involvement in other similar cases were underway.
